diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/vhost.h b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/vhost.h
index dc64fdb54..93e3c8928 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/vhost.h
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/vhost.h
@@ -67,8 +67,6 @@ enum vhost_user_request {
 	VHOST_USER_MAX
 };
 
-extern const char *const vhost_msg_strings[VHOST_USER_MAX];
-
 struct virtio_user_backend_ops;
 
 struct virtio_user_dev {
diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/vhost_user.c b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/vhost_user.c
index fc915952a..a67d92ee6 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/vhost_user.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/vhost_user.c
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ prepare_vhost_memory_user(struct vhost_user_msg *msg, int fds[])
 	return 0;
 }
 
-const char *const vhost_msg_strings[] = {
+static const char *const vhost_msg_strings[VHOST_USER_MAX] = {
 	[VHOST_USER_SET_OWNER] = "VHOST_SET_OWNER",
 	[VHOST_USER_RESET_OWNER] = "VHOST_RESET_OWNER",
 	[VHOST_USER_SET_FEATURES] = "VHOST_SET_FEATURES",